Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra
by T. S. Syamkumar | 2017 | 59,416 words
This page relates 鈥楨xpiatory Rites in Gautama-dharmasutra鈥� of the study on Expiatory Rites in Sanskrit literature and ancient Indian religion and society, with special reference to Keralite Tantra. Further references to texts include those found in Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism as well as Dharmashastra literature. This study also investigates temple records and inscriptions of Kerala in order to demonstrate the connection between social life and expiatory rites and its evolution.
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6.1.2. Expiatory Rites in Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, connected with 厂腻尘补惫别诲补, is one of the earlier Dharmas奴tra text in Sanskrit literature. Gautama classifies sins as two types: major and minor sins. Murdering of a Brahmin, drinking Sura, sex with wife of Guru, or with a forbidden woman, theft of gold are grievous sins. Sins similar to grievous are giving false evidence against the Guru etc. Gautama considered that killing a cow, forgetting the Veda and breaking the vow of chastity are secondary sins.[1]
Gautama opines that a man who offers a horse sacrifice overcomes all sins, even if he is the murderer of a Brahmin.[2] According to Gautama, Austerity, ritual offering, fasting, giving gifts and softly reciting prayers are the general expiatory rites. Gautama considered that 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉, 础驳丑补尘补谤峁峁嘺 hymn, Rudra hymn, 笔耻谤耻峁蝉奴办迟补, 碍奴峁腻峁囜笉补mantra, P膩vam膩nimantra and 厂腻惫颈迟谤颈mantras can destroy all sins.[3] Living only on milk (Payovrata), eating only vegetables (艢膩kabhak峁ta), eating only fruits, eating gold, consuming ghee, and drinking Soma juice are cleansing activities. In the view of Gautama诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, all mountains, all rivers, sacred lakes, sacred ponds, dwelling of seers and cow-pens are sin-cleansing places.[4] At the end of the 19th chapter, Gautama strongly recommended 碍峁沜肠丑谤补 (arduous penance), 础迟颈办峁沜肠丑谤补 (Very arduous penance) and 颁腻苍诲谤腻测补峁嘺 (Lunar Penance) for all sins (Sarvapr膩ya艣citta). Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补 suggest that celibacy, truthfulness, bathing thrice daily, wearing wet clothes, sleeping on the ground and fasting constitute austerities that destroy all sins.[5]
In 厂奴迟谤补 period inflexible caste system and untouchability were prevailing in the society. Hence the composer of Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补 strictly restricted speaking or any kind of contact with an outcaste. For this purpose, Gautama recommends standing recital of 厂腻惫颈迟谤颈 Mantra for one night if it was done unintentionally and for three nights if it was done intentionally.[6]
An excommunicated man may be purified by performing expiation; however, they should fill a golden vessel with water from the sacred pond or from a waterway and make the man take a bath with water from the vessel and then pray silently. After that, he should perform the recitation of Yajus, P膩vam膩ni, and 碍奴峁腻峁囜笉补 Mantra and offer ghee in the sacred fire.[7] Then the sinner may be readmitted to the society. Gautama considers that killing is a sinful matter. If a man who has killed a Brahmin shall emaciate his body by throwing himself into a fire three times or make himself a target during an armed battle or else, for twelve years he should live a pure life and carrying the post from a bed frame and a skull, enter a village only for begging food. In this manner, he gets purified. If someone kills a 碍峁迟谤颈测补, he should perform celibacy for six years and at the end of this Vrata, he should gift thousand cows and one bull. Killing a 痴补颈艣测补, expiation is three years鈥� Brahmacarya and at the end gifting hundred cows along with a bull. Moreover, if he kills a 艢奴诲谤补, he should perform one year celibacy and at the end gift ten cows along with a bull. Killing a frog, crow, rat, mouse, or dog is the same as for killing 痴补颈艣测补 and the sinner should perform the same 笔谤腻测补艣肠颈迟迟补.[8]
The expiatory rites for sex with the wife of Guru are the same as mentioned in 膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补 In the case of a woman who had sex with a lower caste, the king should have her devoured by dogs in public and have the man executed. If someone has sex with a lower caste woman, the man should perform an arduous expiation for a year. For having sex with a woman during her menstrual period, the expiatory rite is vows for three days.[9] If one has sex with his wife during her menstrual period, after bathing he is purified.[10] Gautama also recommended various secret expiations. People may perform a secret expiatory rite for their sins unknown to the public. If one may perform an abortion, the expiation is, he should live only on milk for ten days, only on ghee for next ten days and only on water for next ten days. For the expiation of the sins of murder of a Brahmin, drinking Sura and sex with wife of Guru, a man should perform or recite 础驳丑补尘补谤峁峁嘺 verse and perform the ritual bath at the end of 础艣惫补尘别诲丑补.[11] The recitation of 厂腻惫颈迟谤颈 thousand times can destroy all sins.[12]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 21.1-3, 9, 11-22.
[2]:
Also see 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 13.3.1.1.
[3]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 19.12.
[4]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 19.13-14.
[5]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 19.15.
[6]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 20.7-9.
[7]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 20.10-14.
[8]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 22.14-23.
[9]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 23.32-33.
[10]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 24.4-5.
[11]:
Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 24.10.
[12]:
As the Veda could be read, in and after the 厂奴迟谤补 period, only by the male members of the first three classes, the recitation of Vedic texts for the removal of sins was not possible for 艢奴诲谤补s and other outcastes. Therefore 惭颈迟腻办峁谤补 (Com. on 驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补-蝉尘峁泃颈, 3.262) says that although the 艢奴诲谤补 and woman and those born of Pratiloma marriages also have no 础诲丑颈办腻谤补, the authority. Still the 艢奴诲谤补 and woman, after revolving in the mind the name of the deity put in the dative case, can engage in recitation with the word 狈补尘补岣�. Also, see Gautama-诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 9.66-67, 驰腻箩帽补惫补濒办测补-蝉尘峁泃颈, 1.121. and Manu蝉尘峁泃颈, 4.80.